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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — the amount
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. content — happy
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. club — for golf
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com